Cadence Arms and Incunabula
Although nominally a commercial enterprise, many would label Cadence as some form of secret society or even heretical tech-cult, whose services may be bought by the highest bidder. Based in the rarefied halls of Nova Castillia on Fenksworld, Cadence is also known to have offices and agents in dozens of hives and chartist vessels. Cadence offers weapons, servitors and other arcane devices of the highest order and sophistication to its private clientele (among which elements of the Holy Inquisition are whispered to number) and it is said they are able to fashion any device a buyer might desire for the right price. Certainly, many of their creations seem to “skirt the edge” of techno-heresy. Just why the Cult Mechanicus hasn’t clamped down on them remains something of a mystery, and the tech-priest authorities remain curiously and firmly silent on the matter. 'Unique Equipment' Cadence “Widower” Dart Caster Device Class: Exotic (Widower) A weapon of assassination that grew out of the bitter guild vendettas in Hive Magnagorsk on Fenksworld, the Widower is another unique design created by the mysterious artisan cult known as Cadence and is now perhaps their most widely known creation. Using a much more powerful version of the magnetic/las impellor found in Imperial needle weapons, the caster fires not a crystalline poison sliver, but an armor-piercing adamantine dart, fractal edged and designed to penetrate light body armor with ease. The darts are subsonic, their passage sounding only a slight hum as they speed through the air, and the weapon itself makes no flash whatsoever when fired, making it an excellent killer from the shadows. The profile listed here assumes a standard razor-dart, although poisoned or explosive darts are not unknown. Cadence supplies the weapon with an attachable frame-stock and a long-barreled impellor that turns it into a two-handed Basic type weapon with a base range of 150m and a weight of 4.5 kg (although its Damage, etc., remains the same.) Razor darts are also Rare items with a base cost of 15 Thrones each. Pistol, 35m, S/–/–, 1d10+3, R, PEN 4, Clip 1, RLD Full, Accurate, WT 2kg, Cost 1,000, Rare Cadence Promethium “Destroyer” Incineration Device Class: Pistol (Flame) A weapon produced only to order by special commission by the artisan-masters of Cadence, the Destroyer is a highly advanced pattern of hand flamer that uses force-compression technology similar to that of a plasma weapon to create a superheated thermal-incandescent blast that burns far hotter and with greater fuel efficiency than that of a usual flamer. If the stories are to be believed, the first commissioner of this weapon was none other than the legendary Ordo Xenos Inquisitor Ark- Ashten, although this is likely to be apocryphal. Pistol, 15m, S/–/–, 1d10+5, E, PEN 2, Clip 5, RLD 2Full, Flame, WT 2.1kg, Cost 750, Very Rare Cadence “Spectre” Assault Device Class: Basic (SP) One of the few widely known weapons produced by Cadence. Technically, the Spectre Assault Device is an autogun and chambered to standard caseless rounds. However, the Spectre is far more than a mere “standard” rifle. Featuring a tri-mag shot selection system, it not only has a huge capacity of fire, but the flexibility of freely switching between multiple loads. Beneath the blocky barrel-shroud, the Spectre also mounts an integral shotgun unit giving the user even more options for dealing death and a hidden heavy punch. The weapon still has its detractors who consider it a “poor cousin” in comparison to the raw firepower of a bolter or hellgun. The Spectre may fire either as an autogun or shotgun, but not both during the same Action. The Spectre has three magazines and has a fire selector. Basic, 80m, S/3/10, 1d10+3, I, PEN 0, Clip 20(×3), RLD Full (each), WT 6.5kg, Cost 375, Rare As Shotgun: 30m, S/–/–, 1d10+4, I, PEN 0, Clip 4, RLD 2Full, Scatter